– hand brakes with the parking brake, shifter, LCD display, throttle and control buttons on the right side of the handlebars
– lockable, high-powered lithium battery
– disc brakes on the front wheels
-high quality cranks
– gears
– spacious cargo space with the removable seat and seat belts
– adjustable handlebars
– rear light wheels with the parking brake and reflectors
In the Netherlands, it’s hard not to be impressed, or even overwhelmed, by the sheer number of bicycles in all forms, colors, and sizes. People here see cycling as a normal mode of transportation, not just a weekend leisure activity. The Dutch use their bikes to carry groceries, electronics, and sometimes even furniture. It’s not uncommon to see a parent biking with one child up front, another one in the back, and a third one cycling on his or her own, the parent’s hand on the back for guidance.
But for the Dutch, the bicycle is more than just a mode of transportation; it is also a status symbol. And nowhere is this more visible than in the case of the bakfiets—Dutch for “cargo bike” (literally, “box bike”). This mode of transport has become particularly popular among highly educated, urban, two-income families.
It hasn’t always been this way. Before cars and cargo trucks were easily available, cargo bikes carried people and their goods, such as milk, potatoes, and meat. Painters, construction workers, and cleaners used them for work. During that time, the bakfiets was associated with poverty because they were cheaper than cars. But now, cargo bikes are seen as a sign of upward socioeconomic aspiration in Dutch cities—along with the gentrification that accompanies it.
The resurrection: the true Cargo Bike
And this is now actually happening. While the nostalgic transport bike is still the source of inspiration for one after another fashionable bike, and while the handy models do the children and the groceries, a new species is evolving rapidly: the true cargo bike that cannot be simply translated into bakfiets anymore; it should rather be vrachtfiets (freight bike). The cargo bike stands out from its predecessors like the giant gorilla does from the other primates. Again someone had a brilliant idea with the Long John: Put the rider in the mountainbike position, make the bike lighter, tougher and faster, and voila, the Bullitt was born. Many couriers fell in love with the design. The Bullitt marks the beginning of the revolution, taking place in pedal-powered logistics.
There is a vibrant European community of passionate designers and enthusiastic producers who inspire each other during the annual International urban logistics conference and cargo bike festival in cargo bike capital Nijmegen. While visitors admire and try out the latest two-, three- or four-wheeled creations from across Europe, professionals discuss the latest in urban transport logistics in European cities which, especially outside the Netherlands, are struggling with environmental and quality of life challenges. The cargo bike designers offer solutions. The trend is electric and large. Most new models are electric two-wheelers, with ever thicker tires, tubes and batteries. Existing models (Bullitt, Urban Arrow, Nihola, Velove) are being extended, raised, and widened. Pretty soon the cargo bike is inseparable from the reinvention of urban logistics systems.